Gravitational capture and scattering of straight test strings with large impact parameters

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Abstract
The capture or scattering of an initially straight infinite test cosmic string by a Kerr-Newman black hole, or by any other small source of an electrovac gravitational field, is analyzed analytically when the string moves with initial velocity upsilon(0) and large impact parameter z(0) = b much greater than M so that the string stays very nearly straight (except during the final capture process, if that occurs, or except far behind the gravitating object, if b much greater than M/root 1 - upsilon(0)(2)). The critical impact parameter for capture at low velocities, upsilon(0) much less than 1 - Q(2)/M-2, is shown to be b(crit) = root(pi/2) (M-2-Q(2))/upsilon(0) + O(M). For all b > b(crit), the displacement of the string from the plane of the gravitating object after the scattering approaches the final value z(f) approximate to root b(2)-(pi/2)(M-2 - Q(2))/upsilon(0) - 2 pi M upsilon(0)/root 1-upsilon(0)(2), for any upsilon(0), as long as b much greater than M. [S0556-2821(98)02820-3].
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